Lassa Fever: Three health workers among casualties
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed the death of three healthcare workers among the fatalities recorded in the current Lassa fever outbreak. Cases of the
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed the death of three healthcare workers among the fatalities recorded in the current Lassa fever outbreak.
Cases of the outbreak have continued to rise during the peak transmission period.
NCDC’s Director-General, Dr. Jide Idris, announced this in a statement yesterday in Abuja.
The DG said 28 healthcare workers have been infected so far this season, with three deaths recorded.
According to the agency, as of Epidemiological Week 8 of 2026, Lassa fever cases and deaths have been reported in 18 states and 67 local government areas across the country.
Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Edo, and Benue states account for more than 80 per cent of confirmed infections.
The NCDC said the rise in infections among healthcare workers was particularly concerning and underscored the need for stricter adherence to infection prevention and control protocols across health facilities.
Idris said the disease follows a predictable seasonal pattern in Nigeria, with the peak transmission period occurring during the dry season between November and April.
The DG noted that current surveillance and field assessments showed that most infections occurred within known endemic areas.
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But investigations have also identified operational gaps that contributed to continued transmission and higher fatality rates, the agency stated.
According to the NCDC, some infections have occurred in general outpatient departments and maternity settings of health facilities, while adherence to infection prevention and control guidelines remained inconsistent in some locations.
The agency also identified other factors driving transmission and mortality, including inadequate pre-positioning of personal protective equipment, delayed presentation of patients to health facilities, gaps in contact tracing and active case search in some local government areas, and persistent stigma and misconceptions that discourage early care-seeking.
Idris spoke about inconsistent activation or monitoring of State Incident Management Systems and the management of cases in isolation centres that do not fully meet recommended standards.
The DG said under Nigeria’s federal system, outbreak response implementation and health service delivery standards fall largely within the responsibility of state governments, while the agency provides national coordination and technical support.
He urged state governments to strengthen their response efforts to reduce transmission and prevent avoidable deaths.
Idris also urged states to fully activate and monitor their incident management systems in affected and high-risk areas, release funds for outbreak preparedness and response, and enforce infection prevention and control compliance in both public and private health facilities.
The NCDC boss advised states to ensure the continuous availability of protective equipment in high-burden areas, improve surveillance and laboratory operations, and intensify community awareness campaigns with the involvement of traditional and religious leaders.
He stressed that financial barriers that delay patients from seeking early treatment should also be addressed to reduce mortality.
Idris added that environmental sanitation, rodent control and safer food storage practices should be strengthened in endemic areas through collaboration between health, agriculture and environmental authorities.
He urged healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion and strictly apply infection prevention measures when attending to patients.
The NCDC boss noted that Nigeria is currently responding to several epidemic-prone diseases, including Cerebrospinal Meningitis, Diphtheria, Mpox and Cholera.
He advised members of the public to maintain clean environments, store food properly, eliminate rodents in homes and communities, and seek early medical attention if symptoms associated with Lassa fever occur.
Idris added that Lassa fever is treatable and that early detection and treatment significantly improve survival outcomes.
